Trump and the C word

Dr Christine Fair, a prominent American political scientist and Georgetown University professor specialising in South Asian security and counter-terrorism, recently called President Donald Trump a ch***ya-several times-during an interview with Pakistani-origin British journalist Moeed Pirzada, a man who himself is no stranger to the word on air.

- ANUJA CHAUHAN

It is not the first time Trump has been bestowed with this title. Last year, X users were calling him a "certified ch***ya" several times (which, in the Indian context would translate pretty much to 'ek number ka ch***ya' or ch***ya #1 ) but as far as I know, it is the first time somebody (especially somebody so erudite) has actually mouthed the word non-ironically as the Gen Z say―on camera.

When South Asian users tried decoding the word for global audiences last year, many described it as translating to 'c**ty idiot' which isn't too far off the mark. In modern colloquial Hindi, ch***ya does mean foolish, stupid, or incompetent, but with a stronger, more offensive connotation due to its vulgar roots (it derives from a rude word for female genitalia).